Automatic steam-reverse.



J. w. ABBOTT. AUTOMATIC STEAM REVERSE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB-.6, 1913.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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O w 6 m i 4 "HE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHING HON, D C.

JAMES W. ABBOTT, OEINGALLS, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC STEAM-REVERSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 19 15.

Application filed March 6, 1913. Serial No. 752,513.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES W. ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ingalls, in the county of Gray, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Steam-Reverses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to steam engines and more particularly to a novel reversing valve mechanism primarily adapted to simplify the structure of engines and the valve parts by which the reversing of the engine is obtained, thereby obviating the provision of an excess of pipe sections or oints which are liable to become loose and otherwise cause trouble.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides more particularly in the peculiar combinations and arrange ments of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification, although the invention is protected for all desirable changes and uses within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine with the cover plate of the steam chest removed and showing the reversing valves or pistons in one position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the parts with the valves in a reverse position from the manner indicated in Fig. 1, independent of the entire engine construction. Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of the cover plate of the steam chest. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4: 4: of Fig. 1 but showing the engine distributing valve and the cylinder and piston.

In illustrating the invention, there is shown a cylinder 10 of an ordinary doubleacting single piston engine having the usual piston operating therein while at one side of the cylinder 10 projects an integral valve casing 11 which is arranged throughout the length of the cylinder and is provided with a central horizontal partition 12 dividing the casing into upper and lower steam chests 13 and lat respectively.

Arranged or mounted at the top and bottom portions of the casing 11 are cylindrical valve chests or casings 15 and 16 and a cover head or plate 17 which is bolted to the easing 11 is provided with a partition wall 18 fitting against the partition wall 12 to form a steam tight joint with the proper packing interposed of the cover plate and the casing. The exhaust and live steam manifolds are indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the live steam manifold or supply pipe being indicated by the numeral 19 and having communication with the cylinders 15 and 16 at coincident ends of the latter, while the exhaust manifold or pipe 20 has communication with the other ends of the cylinders.

Working in the cylinders 15 and 16 are reversing valves or pistons 21 and 22 operating respectively in the upper and lower cylinders and connected by valve rods 23 to the extremities of a yoke 24 mounted upon a pivot 25 and capable of being shifted on such pivot for oppositely shifting the valves 21 and 22 in the cylinders. Leading from the lower corner of the upper steam chest 13 are ports 26 and 27, while leading from the lower steam chest 14: near its upper portion and spaced centrally between the ports last mentioned are ports 28 and 29 and all of such ports communicate with the interior of the cylinder at such points by alined ports in the adjacent side of the cylinder 10.

A plate-like slide valve 30 is operable between the inner wall of the steam chests and the cylinder and is of a length to cover three of the aforesaid ports when moved at either limit within its seat. This valve has a pair of closely spaced ports 31 and 32 adapted when the valve is at its outward limit to permit the port 31 to aline with the port 28 while the port 27 will be uncovered by movement of the valve plate therebeyond and the ports 26 and 29 may be uncovered by the valve while the port 32 will he between the ports 28 and 29. When the valve is oppositely shifted in the working of the engine for reciprocation of its piston, the port 81 will be uncovered and the port 32 will register with the port 29 to uncover the latter while the ports 27 and 28 will be covered.

For the purpose of shifting the valve plate 30, the valve rod 38 is provided and the valves 21 and 22 are adapted for movement over supply ports 34C and 85 providing communication between the valve cylinders and the steam chests centrally of the latter.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings the operation of the device is as follows: Steam is entering through the manifold or pipe 19 and passes into the cylinders 15 and 16 and by reason of the fact that the valve 22 is to the right of the port 35 steam can only enter the upper steam chest through the port 3% which is uncovered by the valve 21 and since the valve plate 30 is at its right hand limit, steam will enter the port 26 and be discharged into the cylinder 10 for forcing its piston outwardly and the exhaust will take place through the ports 29 and 32, and port 35 into the manifold or exhaust pipe 20. However, should the parts be in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the operation will be described as follows: Steam enters the pipe 19 and since the valves 21 and 22 have been reversed by shifting the yoke 24, steam will enter through the port 35 into the lower steam chest and the ports 28 and 29 will act assupply valves while the ports 26'and 27 act as exhaust valves in a reverse order to the operation of such ports with the valves in the first named position. It is of course understood that the valve plate 30 is reciproeated for each reciprocation of the piston within the main cylinder 10 and in the first described operation, the ports 26 and 27 will alternately operate as supply valves while theother is closed and the ports 28 and 29 will alternately operate as exhaust valves. In this manner the diagonally opposite ports will be simultaneously opened and closed or at times the ports 26 and 29 will be opened and the ports 27 and 28 closed and vice versa, and it will be obvious that shifting of the valves 21 and 22 will cause the reversing of the engine by causing the pairs of ports 26 and 27, and 28 and 29 to oppositely operate as supply and exhaust ports.

I claim:

1. The combination with an engine cylinder and a piston working therein; of a casing arranged longitudinally of the cylinder and divided to form a pair of steam chests, a valve plate movable between the steam chests and the cylinder having a pair of ports therethrough, one of said steam chests having its ports alternately eomn1unieating with the cylinder to supply steam thereto and the other chest having intermediate ports alternately covered by said valve plate and uncovered by registration with the ports through said plate, means for reciprocating said plate, said chests being adapted to receive a supply of live steam and exhaust such steam therefrom and means for oppositely supplying steam to said chests and alternately changing the exhaust thereof for reversing the stroke of the piston.

2. The combination with an engine cylinder and a piston working therein; of a casing arranged longitudinally of the cylinder and divided to form a pair of steam chests, a valve plate movable between the steam chests and the cylinder having a pair of ports therethrough, one of said steam chests having its ports alternately communi eating with the cylinder to supply steam thereinto and the other chest having intermediate ports alternately covered by said valve plate and uncovered by registration with the ports through said plate, means for reciprocating said plate, said ehestsbeing adapted to receive a supply of live steam and exhaust such steam therefrom, cylinders communicating centrally with said chests, a live steam manifold communicating with said cylinders at one end of the chest, an exhaust manifold communicating with said cylinders at the opposite end of the chest and valves movable in the cylinders to cause the same to be alternately used for supply and exhaust purposes.

3. The combination with an engine cylinder and a piston working therein; of a casing arranged longitudinally of the cylinder and divided to form a pair of steam chests, a valve plate movable between the steam chests and the cylinder having a pair of ports therethrough, one of said steam chests having its ports alternately communicating with the cylinder to supply steam thereinto and the other chest having intermediate ports alternately covered by said valve plate and uncovered by registration with the ports through said plate, means for reciprocating said plate, said chests being adapted to receive a supply of live steam and exhaust such steam therefrom, cylinders communicating centrally with said chests, a live steam manifold communicating with said cylinders at one end of the chest, an exhaust manifold communieating with said cylinders at the opposite end of the chest, valves movable in the cylinders and means to shift the valves to cause the chests to be alternately used for supply and exhaust purposes.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES W. ABBOTT.

WVitnesses:

O. B. ANDERsoN, W. H. FARR.

Copies of this patent inay be obtained !or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I G, 

